


Touch

by SecretAgentCodenameBob



Category: Dickensian - Fandom
Genre: 200 Word Challenge, Angst, Ficlet, M/M, episode 10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-05-16 00:01:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5805460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretAgentCodenameBob/pseuds/SecretAgentCodenameBob
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Touch. That was what Arthur had noticed the most. What signaled the shift from Before to After."</p>
<p>A short piece on Arthur's thoughts and musings, in the aftermath of Episode 10's brutal ending.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Touch

Touch.

That was what Arthur had noticed the most. What signaled the shift from Before to After.

Before there had been brushes of fingers and claps on the shoulder, lingering hands and staged punches. Gentle and harsh. Caressing and violent. All of it had made Arthur ache.

It was uncensored, innocent, instinctual. 

That was Before.

After - he never touched him, not without cold calculation. Like a surgeon’s blade, wielded to torture, not treat.

With all touches cruelly removed Arthur’s skin was left starved for contact, inflamed by the flagrant displays which revealed just how much there was to touch. How _good_ it would be to touch.

He hated his weakness.

Compeyson was malignant, he'd learned. A festering wound; at first seemingly insignificant, yet slowly growing worse and worse until finally he was at the end of himself, clinging pitifully to life. To sanity.

Now, Arthur was left to assess the damage: Skin sliced open. Flesh blistering raw. Pride beaten bloody. 

But the worst thing was, part of him still craved his touch. Part of him missed it. Secretly longed for it. Needed it.

Perhaps, it was only that - need - which made him shake hands with the devil. 

Touch.

_His_ touch.

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was a bit of an experimental piece. I wanted to push myself with a constricted word limit to take a succinct peak into a character's thoughts. The idea has been rolling around in my mind for a while but I wasn't sure how to end it - then episode 10 happened and it clicked. (Still traumatised)
> 
> Not quite sure what to make of it, but hey it's always good to try new things. I will be posting some longer fics in due course (don't worry, more pain on its way) but what did you make of this one? Any good? Should I do more or stick to longer fics? Maybe make a bit of a series of these for the different characters? Let me know!
> 
> Regardless, thank you very much for reading! :)
> 
> ~SACB


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